Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisunray’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Duetisunray’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; and daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets that are yellow in color.

Botanical designation: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUETISUNRAY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duetisunray’.

The new Osteospermum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the program is to create and develop compact Osteospermum plants with uniformly mounded plant habit and numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Osteospermum plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in July, 2004 of a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number F-03-15, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number F-01-13, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Osteospermum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2008, has shown that the unique features of this new Osteospermum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Osteospermum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duetisunray’ . These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duetisunray’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray         florets that are yellow in color.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in inflorescence size as plants of the new Osteospermum have larger inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in ray floret color.

Plants of the new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Countryside’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Osteospermum differed primarily from plants of ‘Countryside’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were larger than plants of         ‘Countryside’.     -   2. Plants of the new Osteospermum were more freely branching         than plants of ‘Countryside’.     -   3. Plants of the new Osteospermum had larger inflorescences with         more ray florets per inflorescence than plants of ‘Countryside’.     -   4. Plants of the new Osteospermum and ‘Countryside’ differed         slightly in ray floret color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Osteospermum plant. This photograph shows the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Osteospermum plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duetisunray’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were grown in 10.5-cm containers, pinched three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis ‘Duetisunray’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis identified as code number F-03-15, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Osteospermum ecklonis, identified as code number F-01-13,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded plant             habit; inflorescences positioned above the foliar plane;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 17 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Quantity per plant: Freely branching,             about six lateral branches per plant. Length: About 10 cm.             Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A to 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 6.3 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Dentate. Texture, upper             surface: Pubescent; leathery. Texture, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             143A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B to 137C; venation, close to 144B.             Petiole length: About 4 mm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm.             Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Petiole color, upper surface: Close to 144A to 144B. Petiole             color, lower surface: Close to 144B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance/habit.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; inflorescences             positioned above the foliage, disc and ray florets             developing acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face             mostly upright to somewhat outwardly; freely flowering             habit; about 20 to 25 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season and flowering response.—In Germany,             plants of the new Osteospermum flower continuously during             the spring and summer; early flowering habit, plants begin             flowering about six weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Inflorescences last about three days on             the plant; inflorescences not persistent.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About             9.3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Color: Close to 137B and 144C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 7.2 cm. Depth (height):             About 3.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.5 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 4 mm. Receptacle height: About 3 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 4 cm.             Width: About 1 cm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Number of ray florets per             inflorescence: About 30 to 35 arranged in about two whorls.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Towards the apex, close             to 14B; towards the base, close to 12D. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 9A; longitudinal stripes, close to 183A.             Fully opened, upper surface: Towards the apex, close to 14A,             becoming closer to 14C with development; towards the base,             close to 2D; at the base, close to 82B. Fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 14A; longitudinal stripes, close to 177A.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular; apex dentate, five-pointed.             Length: About 5 mm. Diameter, apex: About 2 mm. Diameter,             base: About 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:             About 50. Color: Immature: Close to 93C. Mature: Close to             93A to 93C.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20 to 25.             Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Apiculate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Color, upper             surface: Close to 137B to 137C. Color, lower surface: Close             to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous; leathery. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther             color: Close to 79A to 79B. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc             florets. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape: Crested.             Stigma color: Close to 79A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style             color: Close to 79A. Ovary color: Close to 144C.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color:             Close to 199A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Osteospermums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Osteospermum plant named ‘Duetisunray’ as illustrated and described. 